Hat with expandable hat base



Nov. 12, 1968 F. OEB 3,409,911

HAT WITH EXPANDABLE HAT BASE Filed Feb. l5, 1967 United States Patent O 3,409,911 HAT WITH EXPANDABLE HAT BASE l Frederick Loeb, 73--15 l184th St., Jamaica Estates North, NLY. g Filed Feb. 15, 1967, Ser. NIL-616,402 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-197) ABSTRACT OFI-THE DISCLOSURE A hat comprising a hat base which is expandable to fit a plurality of head sizes. The hat base is formed of a rectangular or parallelogram-shaped integral piece of fabric whose free ends are joined by one of a plurality of curved generally vertical seams meeting at a common apex. These curved seams are formed in pairs, each pair outlining a Gothic type pointed arch shape below the seam and a loose upstanding double-walled flap of generally triangular shape above the seam. The double walls of each respective flap are joined at theinside thereof by one of the curved seams, and at the outside edge thereof by being part of the originalvfabric-except for the flap which is formed from the two opposed free ends of the original parallelogram-shaped fabric piece, which free ends may remain unjoined at their outer extremities.

A dome-shaped hat base is thus formed with upstanding aps which tend to spring upwardly. The bottom periphery of the hat base is turned and seamed to enclose a continuous elastic cord ring which floats freely in the enclosed space defined by the peripheral seam. The longitudinal axis of the original parallelogram-shaped piece of fabric is on a bias to the weave to permit the hat base to stretch in a peripheral direction, and the elastic cord makes it fit the particular head size of the wearer.

Decorative material such as flowers, feathers, fur, et cetera, is glued or otherwise attached to the hat base, including the flapsy thereof. The flaps, by springing outwardly and upwardly, add a fluffed-out softening effect and attractive appearance to the finished article.

Brief summary of the invention A hat baseaccording to the invention, is produced with less labor than heretofore required by starting with a rectangular or parallelogram-shaped piece of material whose longitudinal axis extends at an angle, i.e., on a bias, to the weave of the fabric. Instead of forming a dome shape by stitching together separate pieces of generally triangular-shaped segments, the article according to this invention is made of a single rectangular or parallelogramshaped piece of fabric, as above described. The seams, instead of forming ridges between adjacent individual triangular pieces, define intervening aps which tend to stand upright and to bias the decorative material outwardly. These and other features, advantages and objectsA of the present invention will become apparent fromy the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the hat base of the invention, partially cut away at the lower lefthand edge to show the inner floating elastic;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the plane of line 2 2 of FIG. 1, looking upwardly;

FIG. 3 is a plan View looking downwardly on the hat base of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the hat base of FIG. l, with the two flaps closest to the viewer being folded away from the viewer to show the conformation of the stitches and the single tack stitch at the apex;

ice

5 5 of FIG. l to illustrate. the construction of the floating elastic cord;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of the device of FIG. l after decorative material is applied to the flaps;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, illustrating the wall of the hat base and the adhesive attaching the decorative material thereto.

vThe hat base according to the invention, indicated generally by the numeral 10, is formed of a rectangular or parallelogram-shaped piece of material having opposite free ends 12, 14, and having a longitudinal axis (not shown) which extends at an angle, i.e. on the bias, to the direction of the weave of the fabric of the hat base. A first curved seam 16 fastens the ends 12, 14. The seam 16 is one of a plurality of similar seams 18, 20, 22, 24, which form the fabric into a dome shape with upstanding flaps 26, 28, 30, 32, 34. The sixth double-walled flap is formed of the two loose free ends 12, 14, which may, but need not be, joined at their outermost free extremities. The curved seams 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 lie in generally vertical planes which meet along a line passing through the point 36 located generally at the apex of the Gothic type pointed arched-shaped isosceles triangles, which triangles, of course, have curved legs formed of the seams 16, 18, 20, 22, 24. These curved seams, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 form a common side with the flaps 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and the unjoined double flap 12, 14. As may best be seen from FIG. 4, these aps are of generally right-angle shape, with the curved seam formingrthgey hypotenuse joining the two fabric surfaces on the dome or inner side of the respective aps, and the integral fabric itself being joined on the outer edges of the double surfaces of the aps 26, 28, 30, 32, 34.

The lower peripheral edge portion of the hat base 10 is turned upwardly and stitched by a seam 42, thus forming a pocket 44 into which a ring of elastic cord 46 is first inserted so that it floats loosely but is held within the pocket 44 by the stitching of the seam 42.

Decorative material 50, such as fabric flowers, feathers, fur pieces, or the like, are fastened to the exterior surface of the hat base 10, such as by adhesive material 52. The f flaps 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 12, 14 tend to spring outwardly and upwardly, thus llulling out the decorative material and contributing to a softening effect and attractive appearance.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, upon studying this disclosure, that articles in accordance with the present invention can be modified in various respects and hence may be embodied in hats and hat bases other than as particularly illustrated and described'herein, without departing from the essential features of my invention and within the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

I claim:

1. A hat comprising a hat base formed of an integral generally quadrilateral-shaped piece of fabric defining two opposed free end portions, seam means restricting said piece of fabric into a dome-shaped portion and a flap means portion, said seam means comprising a plurality of curved seams, one of said curved seams joining said two opposed free end portions into abutting relationship, said piece of fabric having a longitudinal axis extending at an angle to the weave of said fabric, said curved seams being equally spaced about the periphery of said dome-shaped portion and lying in planes intersecting along a common line. 't

2. A hat according to claim 1, said curved seams defining a common apex on said dome-shaped portion and forming a plurality of mutually adjacent Gothic-type pointed arch segments meeting along said curved seams and at said common apex.

3. A hat according to claim 2, said flap means portion comprising a plurality of generally triangular flaps fas- 'curved seams.

4. A hat according to claim 1, said ap means portion comprising a plurality of generally triangular flaps each being open along at least one edge thereof.

5. A hat according to claim 1, said two opposed free end portions together forming a generally triangular double-walled flap joined to said dome-shaped portion along said one curved seam. 6. A hat according to claim 1, further including means forming a peripheral pocket around the lower periphery of said dome-shaped portion, and elastic means otingly dispo'sed within said pocket.

References Cited UNITED l2/l9l7 4/1919 6/1924 l120K/ 1 932 STATES PATENTS Clau'ssen 2-192 Phillips 2-192 :Graff 2-190 Collins 2-187 Bloom 2-187 Weitzner I 2-198 10 JORDAN FRANKLIN, 'Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Askifnr Examiner. 

